I've owened by 09 Max (white, sunroof panel, spolier, tinted) for 14 months now with 13,350 miles. I wash my car almost every week, even in the winter. I noticed a couple of months ago a small chip on the left rear door. The chip is down to the metal. Although I was annoyed I shrugged it off. A couple of weeks later, the same chip but now in the driver door. Long story and several washes later, i now have 9 chips on both driver and passenger side. Two are even on the upper part of the C pillar. There are no chips on the hood or on the front fascia, which is usually where you see chips. It can't be from rocks or debris from the road because of the location of all the chips. I am afraid it may the inital paint application from the factory. I haven't scheduled a visit to the dealership yet. BUt I was wondering if anyone else has the same isue. Pics of my car are in the photo gallery.


Other then that this car rocks. I still get stares almost every day. Now there are more 0/10 maximas on the road. When I first purchased my Max not many people were buying cars so the exclusivity was awesome.

Drove from NJ to Greensboro, NC for Thanksgiving and I got 500 miles to a tank. That is with luggage and 3 small dogs...oh yeah my wife too. Cruising at about 80-85 mph.

 

I'm sure you are not using a scrub brush to wash your car, so the washing shouldn't be the problem (unless you are using a public carwash, which may have something out of adjustment). I remember one paint problem here, but it was over a year ago, and was on the rear deck, just behind the rear window, and on a car that had just arrived from the factory. And that situation was an absence of paint, not paint that had come loose.

Your situation is unique, and it will be interesting to see if anyone here has heard of such a problem. It almost sounds as if something (grease?) had gotten onto the bare metal before the car was painted; something that paint does not adhere to very well.

By the way, fuel efficiency is never measured 'by the tankful'. That is a totally meaningless term. We could run the tank dry in this 7th gen Maxima and sometimes get over 600 miles 'to a tankful'. But that might result in having to get a new catalytic converter, a new fuel pump, and have other work done to the fuel system. Nissan tries to avoid all these problems by alerting us to refill the tank after we have use only around 15 of the 20 gallons, and they have very good reasons for doing so. Fuel efficiency is ALWAYS measured by miles per gallon. Any other term is meaningless.

I am glad you like your 7th generation Maxima. This 7th gen does do very well fuel-wise on trips. I have reached 29 MPG once, but know I can reach 30 if on a level freeway with light traffic. I have seen 32 MPG on a long trip reported here. As you said, it does draw the attention of other drivers. I have been sitting in a restaurant eating, and looked out the window to find a car stopped in the driveway near my car with the motor running and the driver just staring at my car.

I have had zero problems in over 12 months, and am sorry you are having these paint problems. This may somehow end up being a warranty issue, as I can't imagine how you could have caused this. Keep us informed of what happens.

 

someone is mad at you and is scrapping up your stuff man. I looked at the new maxi and it is a sweet ride man. Im having paint problems with my ride but its a 98 and it was used. I can see some of the bondo is lifting so someone did a horrbile auto body job. im going to have to do it myself. good luck with urs bro.

 

I am very maticulous with my car. I hand wash the car all the time and that is how I notice the paint chips. Even in the winter I hand wash the car so it isn't a car wash problem. Also, no one is mad at me, the chips are to uniform to be caused by anyone. This is my 20th ride and I have never seen this before. I'll take pics soon to show everyone. I also worked in a car dealership and my ex-father-in-law owned an autobody shop so I've seen many paint jobs.

I appreciate your input. Pain in the *** though because now I have to take it in. The dealership will probably deny any wrong doing, then I will have to call the Nissan #, then schedule a Nissan tech to come and look at it. Then when it is resolved I'll have to get the car repainted, which I wouldn't be happy about if they get to pick the paint shop. Hopefully, I will be able to pick the place.

I'll keep everyone posted.

 

Really tough break, bro. Repainting the car is a big deal.

After everything you have told us, this would seem to be something that went wrong at the factory, and something that paint does not adhere to got onto the metal before it was painted.

 

It looks like they made the hood & front end paint a little better than the rest of the body paint. I had the reverse problem... the front end of the car is chip central, and the rest of the body has held up well. That's sad to hear because I was considering a new Max... but as you know that paint issues have been around for a long time and apparently they have improved some, they still have a way to go.

 

I have the same issue, but I drive 95 everyday. I just deal with it. Black will show everything. I have about 8k miles on it, and i have what i would call (3) "major" chips. I just touched them up and never had an issue since. I more or less just did it so they did not rust. Its from rocks, debris etc. Part of owning a black car. O well, it looks nice when its washed.

 

If the chips are on the aluminum hood, they won't rust. Even so, like you, I like to touch chips up as soon as possible, because, if untreated, they detract from the looks of the car. And as you said, chips on metal other than aluminum will rust if untreated.

 

I was at Stillen last weekend for a detailing demonstration for Adams products and a guy with a nice 350Z was there and he wanted the Guy from Adams to look at his rear trunk spoiler. Seems the paint had either faded or came completely off but it looked like just the urethane was left to me. The guy next to me mentioned that Nissan sometimes will come out with a bad batch of paint or prep once in a while and it seems to happen enough that a lot of people know about it. If I were you I would definitly go to the dealer and complain. I think as mentioned above that it sounds like a bad prep and the paint is popping off the metal.

Just my 2 cents.

 

Thanks Glenn. I am due for an oil change/tire rotation in 500 miles so then I will bring it to the dealer and show them the chips.

 

i def hav some of those marks but all by the front due to rock chips, have to get them touched up soon